Matter of Opposition
by yoiidere
Summary: After junior high, Kevin's life hasn't been so happy-go-lucky. Sure he's popular, has tons of friends, and a cute girlfriend, but will all that change when an old enemy sparks something inside of him? Kevin/Edd pairing inspired by c2ndy2c1d.
1. Something New

**AN: Hey guys! So this will be a multichapter story based off the inspiration from c2ndy2c1d's drawings on tumblr! Follow her because she's simply amazing. She changed my whole view on EEnE, and I absolutely adore the Kevedd ship (though not as much as Nathan Kedd Goldberg). Anyways, the character Nathan Goldberg is an OC of hers, so yeah, go check out her blog to get a good look at him. ****For now, enjoy~**

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_Song: The Lightning Strike by Snow Patrol_

_Chapter 1: Something New_

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"Look, the best way to set'er down is breaking it off with a strong front. She's not going to believe some sappy love story off the bat, especially if it's fake."

An irritated sigh slipped.

"No matter how many times I tell her, she just won't budge. She always acts aloof, but she's clingy as hell."

"Well, even if she is a poor excuse of a girlfriend, you were each other's first loves. This is classic romance here!"

"She's changed since then. You know that already, Nat. Can't you just get rid of her for me? I swear to God, if she puts another creepy love letter in my locker saying she's 'Sorry,' and that she, 'wants me back,' I'm going to-"

A cynical chuckle interrupted the mysterious threat.

"Geez, Kevin, chill. I mean, this is Nazz we're talkin' about here. Maybe she's just lonely."

The red haired male glared at his friend, clearly unconvinced at this assumption. There'd been many before this one, each convincingly enough to bypass Kevin's tolerability with his soon-to-be-ex-girlfriend, but they all seemed to lose their credible claim gradually. You could blame the stages of puberty for such a change in one's character, but in Nazz's case, it was her parents' demise that had led her to become desperate for company and sloppy, unemotional love. Her life in the cul-de-sac was quite sorrowful indeed without the need to continue stacking it with regrettable choices and actions in the last years of her youth. Asking Kevin to go out with her almost right after her parents' funeral had been an act of vulnerability and grievance, an act which had determined everything following after.

The ginger brushed the unpleasant memory away, still wondering why he ever agreed to such a shameful request, handing his friend a soda pop bottle. He flicked a few quarters in the vending machine next to him before scoffing and retrieving an identical beverage from the compartment. "Yeah. We _all_ get lonely sometimes. That's life."

Nat opened his mouth to say something but stopped himself and made a sibilant sound, holding it back with a somewhat hurt expression. "Harsh," he said jokingly with the same visage.

Kevin scoffed once more and quickly loosened the cap on the bottle, gulping down the fizzy soda grudgingly as the lone adjective burned into his head. He wasn't intentionally trying to hurt his one and only first love. He just wanted to feel free from the pit of hell he fell into. Nazz had begged him to stay with her, and he did that, but how long was she going to expect him to stay and be miserable? Talks of marriage were made, but only on her part, of course. The male figure simply decided that she had gone crazy, and that it was wrong of him to ever be with her just to make her feel something after all that remorse. He wished for her happiness, truly, but that wasn't going to happen if she didn't have the ability to stand up on her own and move on from the past. They weren't kids anymore; he didn't need to hold her hand and tell her how to live her life. Happiness was something you had to find with your own hands.

"Kev, you're spacing out on me, man." Nat's hand waved up and down before the redhead's face in attempt to seize signs of attentiveness. The shorter male's eyes widened in reception, his thoughts diminishing. Nat cocked an eyebrow and gave a half-hearted smile. "You're been down in the dumps lately. It's kind of depressing."

Kevin had no response for this. In truth, most of his life after junior high had deemed melancholy. The only real joy he had in waking up every day was his passion for bike riding, despite the many other sports he was involved with such as baseball, basketball, and football. Half his life was spent at the jump park a little outside the cul-de-sac where no one ever went and where no one ever saw him. Dirt jumping was something he taught himself after watching a few sport programs on the television. For now, it was a secret life he carefully hid up until this day.

A sudden smack on the back brought Kevin back to his senses. He began walking as Nat's husky hand pushed him down the long school halls. "Light'n up!" Nat exclaimed. "Look, I know what'll cheer you up. A guy's night out! I'll get some of the guys from the football club and come get your sorry ass after school tomorrow. Sound good?"

Peach Creek was a pretty small place. Lots of the members in the football club were also involved with other sports like Kevin was, signing up for whatever sport was in season. They all knew each other since childhood, so the basis of getting to know everyone wasn't too hard since that part was established since infancy. But with what Nat was asking, it wasn't really a choice. Whatever Nathan Goldberg was up to, if you were involved at all, it was obligatory. You _had _to go.

Kevin sighed with this factor in mind and nodded. "Yeah, whatever."

A sense of accomplishment filled wonders in the other male. He grinned widely and raised his hand to rest on top of his friend's head, pushing down on Kevin's beloved red hat. Kevin gritted his teeth and pushed Nat's hand out of the way. "Geez! I'll cheer up, so quit it!"

Warm ambiance filled the twilight sky as the two jocks left school grounds, laughter filling the air overhead. Slight winds caressed Kevin's cheeks whilst promoting a calmer state of mind. Perhaps the days would get better from here on out. Perhaps they wouldn't. Expectations weren't set too high on the bar, not that he had any reason to believe there should be any form expectation at all. He wanted something new in his life, something worth fighting for and believing in at the end of the day. It was stupid, he thought, deciding to leave these thoughts behind completely as he and Nat walked closer to the school gates. In the corner of his eye, just before allowing these thoughts to fade away with the hovering, subtle atmosphere, sighted a bouncing black-and-white striped hat flapping flimsily in the opposite direction.

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**AN: Okay, so I know some things are whack like killing Nazz's parents and all, but trust me, there'll be more detail on that later. And yes, Edd didn't pop up until the end, but I promise I'm focusing on a development between him and Kevin in the next chapter. Nat seems like a jerk, but he's really a big sweetie. Again, I want to give some recognition to c2ndy2c1d who has been my inspiration for this story. Stay in tune for what happens tomorrow for Kevin and Edd!**


	2. Distance

**AN: I would like to dedicate this chapter to Aroa S. Quadale for being the first person to review this fic. Reviews, favorites, and follows mean a lot to me. Thanks to all the people who are encouraging me to continue this story! This particular chapter is longer than the first one (though not by much). I hope this makes up for not giving Edd a main act in the first chapter! Oh, and also, I tend to publish a lot of my fanfics before completely proofreading them, but I always end up going back to fix them anyways, so don't mind them too much. Anyways, enjoy~  
**

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_Song: Pain on Pain by Feeder_

_Chapter 2: Distance_

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The scorching sun beat down on the grounds of the Peach Creek High School track, sending multiple heat waves to circulate parts of the region in attainable reach. Jocks were lucky enough to endure these torturous climates thanks to years of training for sports (which required much outdoor activity, of course), but the poor runts who had little to no experience in gym class suffered continuously under the vaporizing temperatures. For most of these 'runts,' there was at least some form of capability in withstanding such heat, but for Peach Creek's most studious schoolboy, this observation was an understatement.

Edd knew the systematic process of physical fitness, but alas, his abnormally feeble physique could only receive so much strain from the actual performance. Four laps, twenty sit ups, a couple of pushups, and a set of jumping jacks: the circuit had merely taken thirty minutes of his life, but his body had already indicated traces of severe presage. His hands clamped desperately onto his knees for support, his thoughts recollecting the basic mechanics of inhaling and exhaling properly.

A whistle blew in apprehension, a cessation in the class' tasks. The coach watched Edd with a pitiful gaze while the other students awaited further instructions. The small man trudged towards his pupil, a dozen eyes following shortly after. "You okay, Edd?" he asked wearily to the panting boy.

Painful as it was, Edd craned his neck upward, his eyes barely able to come in contact with his teacher's. He had been scolded many times about wearing his black-and-white striped hat during class time, but after persuading his parents to write a letter stating it was 'absolutely necessary to wear it at all times,' the instructor had no additional complaints. The frail teen had reconsidered this unnecessary request as the fabric of his hat covered the teacher's visage. He gave up briefly as a result of fruitless effort and slowed his breathing. "Yes, Coach Reeds." His voice was conspicuously hoarse, a surprise even to the owner himself, but he pushed on. "I just.. just give me a.. a moment, please."

An instant later, the taste of rust seeped onto Edd's tongue.

"Coach, he's bleeding!"

Edd's eyes widened, as did the instructor's and fellow classmates'. Coach Reeds sighed and scanned the heads around him until he spotted a reliable figure. "Hey, Kevin," he said, nodding his head to the only other junior in the class. "You done with your circuit?"

The redhead diverted his attention to the gym teacher. A dozen eyes were on Kevin. He and Coach Reeds stared at each other until Kevin pointed at himself, still taken aback. "Me?" The coach nodded. "Um, yeah. I was doing some extra laps since I finished early."

"Good. Take Edd to the nurse for me until his nose stops bleeding." Coach Reeds lifted his arm and gestured behind him with his thumb.

Kevin looked passed his teacher and into the eyes of his old acquaintance. He hadn't spoken to Edd in _years_, and for some reason, an unsettling augury bore into the redhead's mind, like something bad would become of this occurrence. At the same time, there was this sort of strange solace warming the depths of his essence, childish memories washing over him again and again. The restless gaze they exchanged lasted barely three seconds, but seemed endless, infinite, emerald slowly losing itself in a brilliant jade.

o o o

"You don't have to do this if you're uncomfortable! I-I mean, it would be much more convenient if I went by myself, because you wouldn't have to miss points on participation! The class could really use you for soccer practice, after all-"

"Jesus, you're such a dork," Kevin interrupted before giving the other male opportunity to ramble onward.

The two had proceeded to the main office in awkward silence until a moment ago when enough guilt had pushed the limits of Edd's polite subconscious. It would've been better if he hadn't attempted conversation at all, or so, the redhead thought. It was already difficult enough to walk side by side without unwelcome recollection drilling into his mind.

Edd continued to pinch his nose between his index finger and thumb, his left hand cupped over half of his face to catch the occasional drops of blood trickling constantly off his chin. To distract himself from the dizziness getting to his head, Edd stared down at the ground in front of him, the pattering of his and Kevin's shoes echoing throughout the lengthy hallway. Fed up with the silence, Kevin fixated on the boy next to him.

"Hey, dork."

The shorter male slightly turned his head, his hands locked around his jaw area, seeming unable to rotate thoroughly. The jock rolled his eyes and leaned closer to Edd, placing his index finger under the other boy's chin. He lifted Edd's head up until his chin was parallel to the floor. "Keep your head up straight," Kevin said casually. "It won't stop the bleeding, but it'll at least lessen the chances of getting your entire hand covered in blood." The rest of the walk, Edd followed Kevin's advice, and surprisingly enough, it worked. He still bled, of course, but nothing was dripping out like crazy as it did before.

Upon arrival, Kevin opened the door for Edd and followed in afterward. The room was uncomfortably quiet, and a distinctive combination of smells occupied every vacant space around them. The smells didn't bother Edd, but Kevin couldn't help but cringe before completely stepping inside. The school nurse gestured towards an empty bed in the corner without taking her eyes off a messy pile of papers stacked on her desk.

"So, what exactly is up with you nerds?" Kevin asked, suddenly gaining prior anxiousness as he grabbed a chair to sit next to Edd's bed. "Can't hack a little exercise every once in a while?"

Normal people would recapitulate this sort of rude interrogation, but for what reasons would Kevin have to feel bad about? For all he knew, after Nazz's parents died, he and Edd never bothered to look past the borderline of enemy territory and look for possible ways for them to be friends. Still, even if they both knew this, Edd felt somewhat offended by the remark.

"Well," Edd started off, his voice muffled with a funny tone because of the pinching, "I'll have you know that excessive exercise is just as bad as little exercise."

Not that this statement helped the argument, really.

The redhead scoffed, raising an eyebrow. "And I suppose you know more about physical education than me, huh?"

With all seriousness, Edd nodded once. "Actually, I could tell you that it has many psychological benefits such as the improvising of mental health. It helps with one's concentration, awareness, and affirmative mood swings, as well as physical fitness in many sections of the anatomy-"

Kevin shoved a box of tissues in Edd's direction and looked at him with a blank expression. "Dude," he said wearily. "I can_not_ take you seriously with that squeaky voice of yours." Edd's eyes traded glances back and forth between the Kleenex wipes and Kevin, until finally, retrieving the box from the redhead's hands. "I was kidding, Double _Dweeb_. How's your head?"

This startled the male on the bed. Kevin was actually worried about him? '_Maybe he's trying to puzzle me_,' Edd thought. But he answered, anyways.

"My forehead is still at an abnormal temperature," he responded after cleaning his face a bit. "I'm uncertain if it would be a good idea for me to apply more arduous energy."

The jock half understood this.

He leaned closer to Edd again, this time, placing his forehead against the other male's. "Well, it's not too bad, but I guess you'll have to-"

Stopping in mid-sentence, Kevin stared deeply into Edd's cyan-tinted eyes, and there it was, the peculiar feeling of consolation resurfacing. Accompanied by flashes of memories could only make out the faint, sly dreams he spent most of his entity trying to remember: remember when life was full of joy, wonder, and frivolous, free moments while basking in the sunlight in the cul-de-sac. These eyes, which reminded him of his youth, his innocence, and the part of him he coveted anteriorly. These eyes, which he saw something new spring with hope and purity, feeling as though his surroundings were remote and Edd was the only person existing on the earth. The tingly feeling of their joining heads transferring the feverish intensity, the distance between their lips measured by inches. And all too soon, it ended.

Both parties separated, a faint slap of red filling their cheeks.

'_W-what the fuck?_'

'_Why was Kevin looking at me like that?_'

Breaking the ice, Kevin stood up from his chair and dashed out the room before any of them could fully comprehend what exactly was about to ensue. "K-Kevin!" Edd shouted, extending his arm out to his former enemy, but by the time he looked up, the door was swung open as the sound of quick footsteps faded away into the halls.

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**AN: So the boys are juniors. I debated for a while whether or not I should've made them seniors or whatever, but I stuck with juniors in the end. Their gym class is a mix of juniors, sophomores, and freshmen, so I hope none of you were too confused there. Please keep the reviews coming, and again, thank you for all the support. Until next time~! c:**


	3. Guy's Night Out

**AN: This chapter is dedicated to adaur95 and kirakurry****. Thank you for the continuous support, everyone. It was hard for me to type out this chapter without a solid song to listen to the entire time. I've been craving this particular tune that eventually became this chapter's theme song (WHICH I'M OFFICIALLY DECLARING NAT'S PERSONAL SEX SONG). Anyways, let's check up on Kevin's "guy's night out."  
**

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_Song: Suit & Tie by Justin Timberlake  
_

_Chapter 3: Guy's Night Out  
_

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A flicker of images reflected a bluish tint upon the brush of the audience, the encompassing of rapid projectiles practically earsplitting in the theater. The frequent toss of fist pumps and exaggerated whooping presented themselves in appropriate moments such as the occasional series of coordinated action scenes, the burst of heavy artillery during battle sequences, and the fervent sexual content supposedly meant to be displayed solely for those eighteen and older. Customarily, Kevin joined his friends in these foolish antics, but today, his heart wasn't into it. His chin rested at the edge of his right palm, his body clearly present, but his eyes clouded, constantly replaying the scene in the nurse's office that had occurred earlier that day. As the movie concluded and the credits began to roll, his friends roared into applause and stood up to exit the theater. All except Nat.

The verdant headed jock waved his hand in front of his friend's face, repeating his name over and over again until Kevin finally snapped back into reality. "Huh?" he asked confusingly. "What?"

Nat placed a hand on his hip. "You're doing it again, dude."

"Doing what?"

"Spacing out!" exclaimed the concerned friend, as if this were a dire issue in general humanity. "You haven't smiled once since we left school!"

Kevin pressed his lips together, unable to comment back. What could he possibly say? He wanted to tell his best friend about the unusual emotions he had felt the last few hours, but he himself was perplexed about the whole thing. What exactly_ was_ he feeling? He couldn't seem to get Edd out of his mind, not that he desired to think of the lanky boy in any way at all. The redhead stayed silent as the other figure carried on.

"I'm afraid we need to take this 'guy's night out' to the next level. As they say, desperate times call for desperate measures."

Nat slapped Kevin's back and led him out of the theater to catch up with his other friends. Means of transportation ordinarily consisted of walking since everything was pretty close together, so they hit the pavement and made their way towards the cul-de-sac.

On most occasions when they had nothing else to do and nowhere else to go, Kevin and the gang hung out at someone's house and played video games all night. The ginger scoffed. "Is going to someone's house to play video games considered 'desperate measures?'" he questioned.

"No," Nat said slowly as he stared off into the distance. A smile crept onto his face. He jutted his chin out, indicating to Kevin where to look. "We're going_ there_. If you're up for it, anyway."

Across the street, a flood of teenagers poured in and out of a two-story house, every room lit, the blaring of pop music raising in volume whenever the front door swung open. A few empty beer cans trailed a pathway from the entrance to the side of the house, as well as a few other rubbish. A random girl ran out of the house crying as they got closer, passing Kevin and Nat while yelling something like, 'I hate you, you cheating fuck!'

"Really, Nat?" the redhead asked glumly, feeling himself get a migraine from the possible outcomes of this _very _classy party. "This is your idea of a guy's night out?"

Nat threw an arm around his friend and gestured to the sky. "C'mon! It'll be fun! Let's embrace the night, shall we?"

There was no use fighting against Nathan Goldberg.

o o o

The music was loud outside but deafening in Kevin's ears as he reluctantly entered the residence. He could care less about the whole concept of partying and how society categorized popular people by having them chug alcohol and converse idly about trivial matters while blasting music in the background. Idealistically, you'd want the other person to be stable when you spoke to them, but not in the case of modern society these days, Kevin supposed. He pushed past a drunk couple until there was actually some room to breathe. On a table just a few feet ahead held a stack of red plastic cups beside an orange cooler jug, which, Kevin assumed, was filled with liquor.

The teen beside him grimaced and made his way to the jug to help himself, leaving Kevin in midst of the crowd. Now that he was alone, everything seemed to come to life. _Emphasize_.

The stench of alcohol and questionable body odor filled his nostrils. The house was packed with people with ranging ages from sixteen to mid-twenties. Kevin had never brought himself to construe the population of their generation in Peach Creek, but now, with so many in plain sight, it was a rather overwhelming band, all of which were either drunk or flirting with the person next to them. '_Probably hoping to get some action tonight_,' Kevin anticipated, rolling his eyes.

He continued to examine the flow of the party, wandering through various sections of the house while trying to avoid any meaningless chatter himself. But that was an inevitability, naturally. He was the current captain of the football team and former captain of the basketball team the year before. Their legendary record of the most consecutive wins in the history of Peach Creek High School had certainly earned him popularity, not that he wanted any, really. Now and then, an uncoordinated, tipsy girl tried her chances with Kevin and failed embarrassingly. Some guys slapped Kevin on the back and tried hanging around him to attract attention to themselves.

In the end, the redhead decided to slip out the back to dodge uprising commotion about his presence, giving up efforts in finding something amusing to do. '_I'll apologize to Nat about leaving early later._' He exited through the back sliding door and stepped into the darkness of the night. As he turned at the corner of the house towards the road, he could see that there was still some people lingering outside. Most were couples making out (or about to make out), but Kevin tried his best to block out the erotic audio. He was able to ignore the cheesy pickup lines and flirtatious jabber until-

"C'mon, just one kiss, hm?"

The recognizable tone and voice weren't enough to shock him, but the sight alone was one Kevin would never have conceived in a million years. Chills ran up and down his spine as his eyes adjusted to the darkness, witnessing a blue haired girl lean closer to the person in front of her. Closer and closer, until finally, the frightened individual was pressed against the wall.

"Don't be shy now! Give momma a big kiss!"

Kevin tightened a grip in his hand, his teeth clenching. He suddenly felt exasperated as the girl played with the figure before her. They were roughly around the same height, giving her an advantage over the other person who was gangly and weak-looking. She placed a hand on their face, caressing it carefully and tenderly.

'_What are you thinking, Kevin?_'

His insides bubbled. He sunk his fingers deeper into his palm, restraining himself of movement. '_Don't you dare move, idiot._'

The girl leaned closer to the other person, as if she were a hunter and they were her prey.

'_Just keep walking. Ignore it, Kevin, dammit._'

And closer did the girl move to her prey, lips almost-

'_Fuck!_'

The jock left his pride that night, striding towards the girl and her partner. He had no excuses, no reason for doing so, but he just had to stop what was about to happen, cursing himself for doing so. "Hey, _Kanker_." The blue haired girl whipped her head in annoyance for being interrupted, acknowledging her last name being called. Her eyebrows furrowed as Kevin neared her and the person she was with. Shoving her shoulder so that she was facing him, his voice grew dark with intimidation. "Get off the nerd."

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**AN: So Double D's at the party. WITH MARIE KANKER. Bet you weren't expecting that, huh? I promised a friend that I would try to make my chapters longer, but I JUST COULDN'T (this baby's only around 1k -cries-). Anyways, stay in tune for what happens between Kevin, Marie, and Edd!**


	4. Fate

**AN: I know lots of you have been raging about what happened in the last chapter, so here it is! Chapter four! This chapter is dedicated to Evil Ed 666 and my friend Jesica for crying over the conclusion of chapter three. I must thank everyone for being so supportive and encouraging! Enjoy your read~**

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_Playlist: Kimi ni Todoke OST  
_

_Chapter 4: Fate_

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"Excuse me," Marie Kanker spit at the emerging jock, her hand thrown out to gesture at the shivering male against the building wall. "We're in the _middle _of something."

Kevin's left eye twitched. He hoisted his foot up and took a step forward, stance firm as his deep voice and broad figure enhanced the stature which years of puberty developed for him. "I'm not going to say it again," he spoke, unwavered by Marie's hint to get lost.

It was no exaggeration to say that puberty truly did wonders for him, especially considering the fact that he was greatly involved in sports most of his adolescence. He had become quite tan from frequently practicing with a bare chest, exposing his skin to the abrasive rays of sunlight. Even a plain red v-neck and leather jacket failed to conceal the sturdy construction of his masculine yet slim physique, the way the veins on his long neck protruded when he spoke down at the now coerced Kanker sister.

Marie flinched, feeling an ominous premonition emanate at this abrupt change in character, but she kept her front. In the past, her and her sisters never fled under the influence of hostile gesticulation. They never feared or felt threatened by the common people since residing in Peach Creek. In fact, the bizarre trio was rather deviant themselves, their outlandish personage becoming infamously known throughout town in less than a month of settlement.

Marie was noticeably craftier than her siblings and had taken a liking in Edd since the moment she laid eyes on him. His soul was fragile, she could see, and incapable of defending itself when he was alone. Like a puppet on a string, he was dangling, hopeless and merely a toy in her perspective. She had confidence that she had the ability to obtain whatever she wanted when she wanted it. That is, until now.

"Why do_ you _care?" Marie questioned, bluffing self-credibility.

'_Why **do** I care_?' The redhead asked himself, opening his mind to the endless possibilities. "Normally I wouldn't," he started to wing, thinking of the most believable explanation, "but seeing you try to seduce someone is disturbing and wildly unattractive." That was good enough.

The blue haired Kanker glared at the jock. "Tch! Why don't you leave us alone and go play around in some cheerleader's skirt, _Captain_?"

Edd's eyes widened, not because he was shocked by assumption that Kevin was easily accessible to a sexual extent, but because he understood that the redheaded jock really wasn't that kind of person.

Over the last few years, Edd had done well academically, as to be expected. His intelligence earned him an outstandingly potential future that was full of grand promise in his later days. Unlike Kevin, though, puberty wasn't as friendly. Eddward's body had stopped development after the age of fifteen, altitudes peaking around 5'6" (5'7" if you included a bad haircut) while Kevin reached 5'10" with contingent opportunity to grow even more for a good three years.

In subject of social welfare, Edd had also been inferior to him. It was only a matter of time until he decided to abandon the immature deeds Ed and Eddy always involved him in: neighborhood games, silly pranks, and the whole 'getting noticed by the popular kids' bit. No doubt, the three still acknowledged each other whenever they passed one another in the neighborhood or at school, but it wasn't long before they slowly grew apart, letting go of the string that kept them together in the name of their friendship.

Eddy was a repeating sophomore. Sure he was clever and knowledgeable in some aspect, but his consistent absences and pranks had terminated his chances of remaining with his original graduating class. He had gone to summer school, but even then, he wasn't able to receive enough credits to make him a junior. But he was happy, for all Eddward knew, blabbing on about how he was the oldest and smartest in his classes (though Edd highly doubted this second declaration).

Ed, on another note, was living in adequate conditions. He had several part-time jobs in the last few years, taking up whatever could get him to support his family, from working at the movie theaters as an usher to being a stocker at the supermarket and even helping out at construction sites from time to time. His grades were average, ranging from D's-B's in the suitable subjects. Before they completely drifted apart, Edd tutored his friend in whatever he needed help with, but that routine had discontinued almost a year ago.

So who has Edd been hanging around the past few years? Well, he was currently a part of the chess club, astronomy club, and the robotics club, all of which he was the president in two of them (chess and robotics) and vice president in the other (astronomy). Most members were kind enough to commune with the timid teen, but putting aside club activities and such, Edd had none to accompany him in day to day routines. He was fine with it, though. He sort of found comfort in being by himself after a while. It gave him plenty of time to spend in quiescence and secluded research.

When one spends their days in solitary, their senses become more alert. Edd took precautions to evade school jocks, given his notably weak structure and the fact that he was always alone all the time. These factors contributed to the datum that made him the easiest, most vulnerable victim on campus. Because of this unfortunate actuality, Edd had to learn all the hiding spots, the sports' club's schedules, and the best way to get out of a sudden encounter. '_Arch your head down, apologize, and avoid._' The three A's that were more important outside of class than in his report card. It was his motto, and it proved to be effective until a strangely green headed jock blocked his way.

"Oh," he said simply, leaning down at the puny boy. "What do we have here?"

Standing next to him was Kevin; an acquaintance whom Eddward hadn't been in contact with in _years_―not since the complication of Nazz's parents' death. The astonishment impeded the shorter male's principle phrase as jade eyes gazed upon the captain of the football team.

"Just ignore him, Nat," Kevin said, his hands stuffed into his varsity jacket. "You'll just end up embarrassing me."

The two walked past the awestruck boy as they carried on conversation.

"That hurts me, Kevy. I thought we had something special."

"Not in that way, no."

"Don't be like that, man. You know you love me!"

"Dude! Get your hands off me!"

"Cruel. You won't even hug me and you're willing to cheat on Nazz and go second base with June?"

Edd stiffened. An irritated sigh parted from Kevin's lips.

"Is that what people are saying? Geez, does anyone have a life these days?"

"So it's not true?"

"Of course not. I don't do that stuff, especially since I'm in a relationship." There was a pause. "Well, _kind_ of in a relationship, anyways."

The rest of the interlocution was lost in the halls that day, and although Edd had never spoken to Kevin himself, his opinion of the redheaded jock changed immensely. He started to notice Kevin around school more, especially in gym class which he completely disregarded the male in before. There was a very specific arrangement in the partners chosen in gym, and coincidentally, it had never paired Kevin and Edd together. If it had not been for his nose bleed the day prior, Edd would've never grasped that he was absentmindedly intrigued with his former enemy.

So there he was, attestation clearly showing that fate had somehow brought Kevin to him, at a convenient time, nonetheless. He knew Kevin wasn't the sort of person to be 'sleeping around,' if you'll excuse the lingo.

To Edd's surprise, the figure in front of him scoffed. "Can't you people come up with more original insults? Since I already told you I wouldn't repeat myself, I'll just take Double Dweeb with me now."

The rational thing to do when literally pulling a human being away from someone would be to grab their arm or wrist. Kevin thought otherwise. He clutched onto Edd's collar and hauled him away from the party, away from the crazy Kanker who was now yelling at Kevin to 'Come back, you shithead!' He dragged the poor boy down the street, not knowing what he was going to say or do with Eddward now that he had him in his possession. He didn't have to, though.

"Um, K-Kevin?"

The ginger came to a halt, lashing his head towards Edd. "What?" he asked, his voice coming out harsher than he intended it to be. There was no notice of it until he had turned to the meager nerd: Edd was practically choking in his grip. "Oh, sorry," Kevin said, letting go instantly.

"It's alright," responded Edd as he straightened out the wrinkles on his shirt.

Awkward silence replete the awkward night. Both waited for the other to say something. Anything. And Edd was the braver one in this equation.

"I must thank you for your generous aid," he spoke sheepishly. "I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't happened to be around."

Kevin's eyebrows furrowed. "So you were just gonna let that crazy bitch kiss you?" he questioned, this time, his voice just as harsh as intended to be. He threw his hands up. "What were you even doing with her, dweeb?!"

A frightful expression appeared on Edd's visage, but feeling Kevin's glare prick his skin endlessly, he felt it best to answer with honesty. He hung his head and fiddled with his fingers. "I-in my defense, I-I was merely walking home from school."

"Walking home from school? It's ten in the freaking night!"

Edd was bewildered by Kevin's strange outrage. So was Kevin.

"Well, y-you know.. I'm involved with three school organizations."

"So? I'm in the football team."

The mention of his rank was noticeably missing.

Edd decided to skip explaning the differences between the clubs. "I ended up falling asleep while working on a product in robotics. I was so excited about it yesterday night that I ended up losing essential hours of approximate sleep. Marie happened to be passing by when I got into the neighborhood, and, well, I'm not good with handling.. those kinds of situations."

There was silence again, and Edd debated whether or not he should look back up. When he did, Kevin was pinching the bridge of his nose, his eyes closed. "I seriously think you're doing this on purpose to mess me up even more," he thought aloud while shaking his head.

"What was that?" Edd asked.

Kevin's eyes shot open, realizing what he just said. Scarlett appeared on his cheeks. "N-Nothing!" He then pointed at Edd. "Just stay out of trouble, would you?!"

"Um.."

Before Edd could think of a sufficing reply, Kevin turned his back to him and stalked off, wandering aimlessly to find answers he knew he wouldn't be able to find in a single night. Edd watched his silhouette stroll down the sidewalk as it vanished with the limitless questions he had of his own.

* * *

**AN: I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, because I really enjoyed typing it out for some reason. I wanted to let you guys know, though, that I don't have a laptop of my own, so that's why my chapters are short. I use my mom's work laptop, so I only have little to no time on it when she gets home. I debated whether or not I should even continue because I didn't think people would be interested in my story, but you guys are so wonderful. Please continue to lend me your strength and support!**


	5. Luck

**AN: I would just like to give a big thanks to Aroa S. Quadrale for continuously commenting on every new chapter that comes out. It's fun to read what people are thinking when they read my story. And, of course, I must thank everyone else who has been encouraging me to continue the story even though I'm limited to sources. Your reviews make me the happiest person alive C:  
**

**This chapter is dedicated to ItsCanonBye for being such a great sport. The chapters are getting much easier to type out, but I must apologize: they are STILL SHORT D; **

**Well, as always, enjoy~**

* * *

_Song: Ships in the Night by Mat Kearney_

_Chapter 5: Luck_

* * *

"Where'd you go last night?"

No, 'Good morning, Kevin,' or, 'Hey, man, I have something I want to ask you.' No heartwarming configuration of greeting that a friend would normally proffer in recognition of their fellow comrade. Just a question Kevin himself could not begin to explicate and answer without stumbling upon ambivalence, and though he had no obligation to answer anyways, the redhead understood the dilemma at hand. He and Nat―they were like a package deal. Both in, both out. Their amity was impregnable, friendship as strong as a diamond, always sticking together and bailing each other out of sticky situations. Kevin fully understood why his friend would be upset over his disappearance from the previous night, but he didn't believe he had presentable words for what he had been going through in the last two days. He was stuck.

"Kevin, dude, you seriously have to stop daydreaming when you're around me. It's getting old."

Kevin knew something was wrong with him; wasn't it evident to the densest of minds? He just didn't know exactly _what _was wrong with him. No amount of information or quantitative data could explain what had become of his mentality. Figuring it out in a logical sense was pointless. So why the heck_ was_ he so out of it lately? The matter was an introductory to new forms of vexation he never thought existed. The term 'spacing out' he could take, but 'daydreaming' was-

'_No, no, no, no!_' bawled Conscience as his head shook back and forth vigorously. '_I'm **not** daydreaming about Double Dork. There's no way!_' In Kevin's case, denial was apparently one of many symptoms.

"Sorry, man," he responded with a sigh, unable to think of anything else to say without squirming himself into an all-out interrogation.

Nat sighed as well, his countenance loosening. Sure he was a carefree guy most of the time, but even Nathan Goldberg was a sensible man. Years of accompanying Kevin gave him time to adjust to the redhead's behaviors and style in manner. If Kevin was going through a tough patch, Nat knew it had to be about something big.

He kicked an empty can in front of him as he and Kevin proceeded towards school. By the pace they were going, they would be seven minutes late.

"Something's up with you." His voice was careful but confident. Kevin looked up at his friend. "You know I have your back. Is there anything you want to talk about?" These were the times when Kevin really appreciated Nathan as a best friend. Underneath all the bravado and green hair dye, Nat been nothing if not supportive with all of his decisions.

The shorter male wasn't sure how to answer, but he decided that saying what he truthfully thought would be best. "I'm not sure, to be honest," Kevin spoke, as if speaking to himself. He shifted the strap of his bag on his shoulder, feeling an odd mixture of relief and annoyance from hearing himself say it out loud for the first time. "But when I figure it out, you'll be the first person to hear it. And hey, if it's something you find totally ridiculous or whatever, I'll let you beat me up for it." Though, of course, Kevin wanted to avoid the last part at any cost. "Sound good?"

Nat nodded slowly, considering the conditions. "Hm.. yeah, that could work. Gives me some leverage over you for once." Kevin laughed at this. "What? It does!"

In the distance, a high pitch ring cried out, and the boys hurried their ways down the footway.

o o o

On your usual sun-shiny day, Kevin liked gym. It was the only class he was guaranteed to pass, including the written exams about physical fitness and some standard mumbo jumbo about health and its benefits. He enjoyed the free feel of movement when he ran, jumped, stretched, and walked, as opposed to sitting down in other classes and hitting the tedious, prosy textbooks. Physical education was his domain.

Until today.

"What do you mean I have to coach this wimp, Reeds?!"

Because of Edd's incident the day before, Coach Reeds decided to place him under Kevin's supervision for a few weeks, what with his "special" circumstances and all. For the next two months, Edd had to train especially close with Peach Creek High School's famous football captain. And Kevin thought he had enough stress to deal with. Luck didn't favor him, as it seemed.

"Look, Kevin, he needs help with the basic stuff. I don't normally do this with students, but with Edd, I have to make an exception."

"But Coach-"

"No 'buts.' It's not like I'm telling you to hang out with the guy. All you have to do is practice with him during class. That's it. I don't need another session where he starts crying because he's flunking gym."

'_That's the real reason you want me to help him_,' the ginger thought sourly.

Edd felt a line of fault here: his own. He interrupted the conversation, suggesting that he earn the credit by himself. "I-If it is of any help," he stuttered, "I can just-"

"Quiet!" Kevin and Coach Reeds yelled in unison.

Edd jumped and minimized, shaking slightly. Coach Reeds gave him yet another pitiful look. "Just _help him_," he hissed at Kevin, walking away.

Unsettling emotions stacked in the prolong of colloquy. They both welcomed quietude but knew that evasion of speech was fruitless. They would be practicing and training together very closely the next few weeks, thus giving them no excuses hereafter. A simple side glance was all Kevin supplied.

"Listen here,_ dork_," he said, making sure the boy would comprehend the projection in his voice. "I'll be coaching you properly, so you better prepare yourself. I won't be easy on you."

A dry gulp rolled over the lanky boy's Adam's Apple. He had wondered what happened to the genuine Kevin who had helped him yesterday at the party or during his nose bleed incident. Where was _that_ Kevin? This Kevin before him had cold eyes and a sharp voice. He showed no signs of clemency or compassion. It was as if this were their first meeting.

"Kevin.."

Maybe Eddward was expecting too much. Maybe he wasn't. But the truth was that Kevin's speech was, yes, merciless, but Edd had interpreted everything wrong.

Kevin diverted his attention to the students at the other side of the track for a minute, trying to distract himself. Something stirred in the pit of his stomach again, which managed to disgust yet fascinate him at the same time. '_I completely blame this guy for making me feel this weird._' To be certain of these emotions, he came to a resolution. "Pretend nothing happened yesterday," he said aloud to the boy.

Edd looked up Kevin, his eyes wide. "Which part exactly?"

The jock turned to his new partner this time, giving him a complete view of his casual expression. "Everything. Whatever it was."

'_Whatever it was_.' The words seem to repeat itself in Edd's mind until Kevin spoke again shortly after, a hand offered to the reserved schoolboy as a symbolic gesture of new relationships.

"From now on, we start fresh."

* * *

**AN: So Kevin's willing to start off anew. If you hadn't noticed, he's pretty desperate to find out what the hell is wrong with him, lol. Anyways, short chapter is short. I understand your rage, and I apologize again. Stick around, though, for the development of their relationship is about to take off! **


	6. Reality

**AN: Hey, everyone! This chapter is dedicated to adaur95 for being such a darling, and my friend Noah who has been my inspiration for this chapter during struggle. The reviews have gotten a lot more enthusiastic. Even the simplest of reviews made me scream, guys. I can't tell you how much they mean to me. (I literally only wait for seconds to refresh the page and see if I have any more kshfkjs) **

**So to respond to your great reviews, I tried making this chapter longer! I tried. I didn't really succeed, so I guess that's a downer, but it is the longest chapter so far (only 2,1k it's really not that much still). Anyways, enjoy!**

* * *

_Song: Moonshine by Feeder_

_Chapter 6: Reality  
_

* * *

The calendar knocked off approximately seven days since their fateful reunion; a week since their problems intertwined each other in the most inconceivable sense, happening to be similar yet so different at the same time, since Kevin became Edd's "temporary" coach. It wasn't as if they had planned such twisting events to transpire. In fact, their period of separation led them to believe that they would never get involved with each other, yet there they were, presently making themselves seem as though they were okay with the result, which they plainly weren't. To put it in a more rational sentiment, they were_ trying_ to be okay with it. After all, no one would be completely cozy with the notion, but it was reality. And boy, wasn't reality just a pocket full of sunshine?

Edd slowed to a stop, his breathing uneven and gruff. A crimson shade of blood boiled saliently under his pale skin, dancing at the edges, begging him for escape. His meager legs wobbled in exhaustion, as did the weight of his body as it shifted back and forth in a drunk-like manner. He was giving off so much perspiration that you'd think someone practically bathed him in sweat. But Kevin wasn't done with him yet.

"Move. Your. _Ass_."

The jock's arms were folded grudgingly as emerald eyes glared fiercely at Edd.

"K-Kevin," the boy croaked, "I've been running for twenty five minutes now." Edd tried to swallow, but alas, he was out of saliva. He was now regretting having forgot his water bottle sitting passively in his refrigerator at home. "Isn't this enough?"

"Twenty five minutes?" Kevin asked as if derision had been Edd's intent. "Is that a joke? You were running for_ twelve _minutes and took breaks in between!"

"If I could just have a five minute recess-"

"What is this, Double Dork? Amateur hour? I've been telling you every day since Coach Reeds forced me to train you to prepare yourself for the worst. I want to see your scrawny legs run the track three more times before you even _think_ about taking a break!"

"B-But, Kevin-"

"GET ON IT, DWEEB!"

'_Oh, dear_,' the inferior boy thought, pushing his body forward, but failing to do so thanks to a loose pair of shoelaces. His face greeted the ground first, the impact of his nose against the spongy surface of the track anticipating yet another nosebleed. Blood trickled down from his nose as quickly as the initial time, giving off the unpleasant taste of rust again.

Yup. There it was.

Kevin sighed irritably and dug into a blue duffle bag next to him. Reaching inside, he easily retrieved a box of Kleenex and walked over to the incorrigible teen. He bent down to Edd, shaking his head in disappointment, as he handed over the box. "This is the third time this week," he said tiresome. Edd grabbed the box from Kevin's hand and covered his face hastily. "You're helpless."

It wasn't something to be offended by (because it was factual), but like before, Edd felt hurt. He pinched his nose while the napkin acted like a screen and covered it. "Sorry," he said solemnly as discouraging reflection harnessed itself inside of him.

It wasn't Edd who needed to apologize, but rather, it was the other person. The problem was that the other person was wildly stubborn and wasn't sure what to do with this new profound relationship he and Edd shared. It was like he was running away from his real emotions, afraid of finding out what they were yet so eager to understand them, too. He thought he wanted to figure out once and for all what was it about Edd that intrigued him so much but too many questions had conjured up: '_Why does it even matter? When I find out, what will I do? After all this is done, will I stop seeing him?_' The perpetual outcomes were fathomless.

He'd felt bad, too, for being so tough on the poor guy, but Kevin always took physical fitness seriously. There wasn't going to be exceptions for anybody, not even with someone as weak as Edd.

"Kevin?"

This was bad, he decided; he was spacing out more.

"Huh?" he asked whilst trying to sound casual. He looked back at the male beside him, but Edd's head hung low, jade eyes full of despair.

"Do I really seem that helpless?"

It sounded more like a sentence. A sad one.

Wrinkles formed on Kevin's forehead. He hated how he felt after yelling at Edd so much during practice. '_But why do I hate it?_' he inquired of Conscience. '_Why should I care? Why **do** I care?_' Interrogating himself never went far, so he detained from further questioning to save the trouble. He placed his palm on top of Edd's hat and chafed it down. "Yeah," he said with sympathy lingering in the back of his throat. "But don't worry. I'll get you in shape if it kills me."

This was at least sincere, and Edd could tell from the genuine tone in Kevin's voice. It was these precise moments that puzzled them both. They contemplated their roles in this relationship, both wanting to learn more about the other person and themselves at the same time. Edd, more or less, took an interest in Kevin first. He'd been watching him for a while, and now that he had gained attention, what exactly had he learned from it? Kevin, on another note, had no idea what his motive was. He was simply piqued by his former foe, interacting with him after all these years of inner turmoil. He'd come across loss, misery, and lost expectation. How had his life altered so much since meeting up with Edd?

Suspenseful tension arose in the atmosphere surrounding them, feeling light and fuzzy against their skin. Their restless gaze, just as powerful as the first time, seemed to last an immeasurable period of time, like a pair of green marbles clashing repeatedly. Kevin's hand slid from Edd's hat, making its way to the side of the smaller boy's face. The moisture riding on his visage was nothing if not familiar to Kevin already. The blended aroma of his sweat and natural scent suddenly drew the redhead in, alluring to the point that his body desire it. He leaned closer to Edd, hand locked around the other male's jaw.

"Hey, _asshole_. Would you mind paying your girlfriend some attention?"

The pair of boys nearly jumped out of their skin, pushing away from each other as another figure came into the scene. Kevin was able to identify the owner of the voice immediately, standing up to face the impatient female a few feet away. He gave his girlfriend a grim expression, asking himself what was going to happen if she hadn't shown up. He was sort of thankful she came into the picture, but coincidentally, she was the number one person he didn't want to see. "What're you doing here, Nazz?"

The blond girl scoffed. "I should be the one asking you that. Everyone else is on the other side of the track." She nodded towards Edd. "Why're you with Double D?"

Kevin ignored the question. "You're not even supposed to be here," he said with annoyance. "Are you skipping classes again?"

Nazz rolled her eyes and treaded forward. Without hesitation, Kevin stepped in front of Edd. It wasn't as though he was shielding him from Nazz, but he figured that Edd didn't have to be a part of this―leave an innocent bystander from getting himself in the girl's life-time supply of drama. Nazz confronted the jock before her. She had to crane her neck in an uncomfortable way, but she stood her ground. There wasn't much presentation since she was only 5'4", but she didn't need presentation: she herself was the entire show.

Nazz had changed in many ways since her parents death: appearance, morals, hobbies, etc., but the trait that won in all categories had to be her personality. She was no longer the sweet neighborhood gal that the other parents and teachers adored and said, 'I want my kid to be just like that Nazz kid.' She wore heavy makeup (you could say the makeup wore _her_), had her hair in a sloppy ponytail, and cared less about overall attire. She'd merely slap on a t-shirt and jeans, her kicks always either a pair of sneakers or faded converse. Her eyes were hollow, as if nothing was there; empty. She was quite sarcastic and still an airhead, but she was at least smarter in some view. Plus, very cocky.

"I came here because I know you've been avoiding me lately," she spit.

Now Kevin was the one to roll his eyes. "Nazz, I thought I broke it off with you last month. It's over between us."

"It's not over for me." Her voice was firm. Scary. Even had Edd in shivers.

But Kevin was used to this approach. She'd been using it since the beginning, getting Kevin back by using her parents' death as support and making it seem as if the world revolved around her. Wasn't chivalry supposed to be played out here? The damsel is still clearly in distress, but then again, this was reality.

The redheaded jock turned from Nazz and went to pick up the blue duffle bag. "Let's go, dork," he said to Edd, swinging the bag over his shoulder. He grabbed Edd's arm dragging him away from the track, but Nazz trailed closely behind.

"Hey!" she called at Kevin. "Don't walk away from me!"

But that's exactly what the two did as Kevin led Edd to the only place Nazz wouldn't be able to go in school.

o o o

The slam of Kevin's fist against the locker reverberated a heavy sound throughout the room. "Dammit!" he yelled, his face torn between agony and frustration. "She's driving me insane!"

Nazz had followed the boys up until they reached the locker room. There was thirty more minutes left in class, but because of their special training conditions, Coach Reeds had allowed them to start and end their sessions whenever it deemed necessary. No one else was in the room besides them, but in ten minutes, it would be pouring with the other male students.

Edd and Kevin had just got done showering and changing into their usual apparel. They did so in silence up until Kevin couldn't hold back his wrath anymore, the scene on the track still very clear in his mind. Nazz had given him enough drama his sanity could take. For years, he's been under her. For years, he listened to what she had to say when she had to say it. For _years_, he's allowed her to torture him. He didn't know what to do anymore.

The person that was able to cloud the realism of the situation was Edd alone, which was why Kevin had taken pursuit in getting closer to him, but now, it seemed ridiculous. Edd didn't have the ability to pull him out of this ongoing darkness seeding inside of him. It seemed impossible now.

Edd himself wasn't sure what was going on. He had little to no knowledge about how much Nazz had changed, beside the superficial things like her parents' demise and such. To his knowledge, all he knew was what he had seen. His lips curved downward, wrinkles forming on his forehead. "Kevin.." He wanted to say something encouraging, but what could he possibly say? He'd only come in contact with the redhead since the week prior. He had no right.

"Look," Kevin responded before giving Edd a chance to come up with something, "it's embarrassing you had to see that back there, but I don't need pity. Especially not from you."

Like most cases, his words sounded like whips. He realized not too soon afterwards that he was in the wrong. He didn't check to see, but he knew he must've hurt Edd. "I-I'm sorry," he said with a softer, desperate voice. "I didn't mean it like that."

"It's alright," replied Edd a little too quickly.

This awkward stillness in the room was different than the regular times they shared quietude. The air was heavier, and everything around them seemed to envelope with gloominess. It felt as though the next sentence either person would utter would be the deciding factor in what came afterward.

Edd gripped a handful and worked up the courage to speak. Kevin had been of much help to him the last few days. It would be inhumane to not return the favor.

"I understand that I have no place to say anything, but if I may have permission to suggest something.."

With the same, hard expression, Kevin turned to the other male. "What?"

'_This is it_,' Edd thought. '_I just need to get him out of this dismal state._' He walked over to Kevin and took the redhead by his arm. "Come," he said calmly. "Follow me."

* * *

**AN: I'm going to guess that you expected something else when Kevin said he'd start 'fresh,' haha! I know, my version of Nazz is whack (as stated in the first chapter), but like I said, there's a reason I made her like that. But back to Kevedd! Edd's going to try and get Kevin out of his gloomy mood. Can you try to guess how? You'll have to find out when chapter seven comes out~**


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